Meet Loretta Mulberry:

Loretta is a passionate advocate for language accessibility. As a business development manager, for Terra Translations a Milwaukee-based language services provider. She's on a mission to improve safety measures and equity for everyone involved in manufacturing and construction. She is born and raised in Wisconsin broad. Who has seen the positive impact of breaking down language barriers in her community both socially and professionally. Loretta is the proud mother of one and a half future linguists and holds a bachelor's and a master's degree from UW Milwaukee in translation and interpreting.

Kris: So, tell us what language accessibility means for the manufacturing industry.

Loretta: Absolutely. So the United States is not monolingual and mono-cultural, as I mean, we all know that on some level, but it really can feel different because we get ourselves into our little pockets. You know, of course, if you don't speak English, natively, or fluently, you might feel more comfortable staying with people who speak your language better or might identify more with your culture. However, we all work together, and we all live together. And often it's in the same space. And if we don't have materials, such as training materials, specifically, my focus right now, in our native languages in a way that is meaningful to us, we're simply not getting the same access to that information. So language accessibility, means that regardless of your linguistic or cultural background, you have the same access to all the other information out there as your peers as your colleagues. And when it comes to safety and training materials, specifically in manufacturing and construction. There are real lives on the line and you know, there's a high risk of injury and even death in these jobs. So language accessibility could mean the difference between an individual's health and safety and really taking unnecessary risks.

Lori:  So how, in your experience, how do companies justify that investment in language services?

Loretta: Well, I mean, you kind of said it right? In the question too, it really is an investment, there can be a sticker shock associated with it, especially if you're going to go from zero transaction to 100. It's a lot, especially if you're an established company, you have a lot of processes already in place. But the good news is, you do not need to go zero to 100, you can start with the teeniest tiniest baby step because personally, we are at terrible leave. The first step is the most important. So whether it is okay, let's take a look at what our materials are that our most important is our health and safety. Is it our you know, are there legal documents here, HR, what's going to have the most impact on our workforce or on our clients? What are our primary languages, maybe you want to start with Spanish, which is often the case in the United States, but then look into, for example, Hmong, Arabic, or any other languages that might be included in that. So it really comes down to prioritization if you are looking to dip your toes into the water before you really commit. But looking at it in the grand scheme of things, that investment is always going to be worthwhile for a few different reasons. One, again, the health and safety of your employees. I mean, from an altruistic standpoint, at the very least, of course, we all care about people's health and safety. And if they are getting materials in their native language, it is simply going to be a more practical plane is that. Second, you are leaving yourself open to a number of lawsuits in many industries. If you are not properly or not at all translating your materials into other languages. I'm talking, you know, HR departments, I'm talking medical documents, primarily financial, you really want to make sure that you cross your t's and dot your i's in that department. And you are also then opening yourself up to a more significant workforce as well a more talented a, you know, wider talent pool if you have your materials available in other languages. And if you are client-facing as well, you are possibly leaving money on the table if you're not reaching out to these new audiences who might respond to you better in a different language. So you have to look at the cost and what can we afford right now? What are the opportunities to explore in the future and where can we start today?

And so much more… 

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Alright ladies, I think you guys notice that. In my office, we do a question of the day we rotate who's responsible for asking it? And

Oh, golly. Ah,

well, you think of that, I'll

tell you. Yeah, yeah, go. I need some aberration. Yeah, yeah. So

I What are the like most amazing experiences that I can recall is being in rotana Honduras on a rooftop with like, no lights there, and

Yes. Wow, that sounds beautiful.

Wow, that is, that's a good one. Thank you for sharing that. Let's see,

I've got one, if you're still playing, go, go. I have always said that. Everybody should travel to a foreign country at some point in their

taught me a lot. And then of course, I carried that into different travels that I had with work and, you know, both personally and professionally. So

Agree. Yeah, that's a vital one. I'm gonna go off in a totally different direction and experience that everyone should have, it's going to

frustration of boredom. I think that's a really good experience for everyone. And one that I just don't think is going to be part of future

Yeah, that's fascinating. I like you always have the most unique perspective, Aaron.

I love you're just a weirdo. And it's why I like you, guys. All right. All right. Yeah.

You're bored. It's when you're bored that you use your imagination, right?

Yeah, I think it's a muscle that you develop through from boredom. And you can you're probably like, well, you must have been bored a lot.

Yeah, no, I, I used to travel in the car to my grandparents house, you know, six hours in the car, on the ride there. And on the way back, and

hmm. Great question.

Yes. I liked that one. That's a really good one. Yeah.

But let's get on to our guest. We have a wonderful, wonderful guest with us today. So let me tell you about Loretta Mulberry. Loretta is a

barriers in her community both socially and professionally. Loretta is the proud mother of one and half future linguists and holds a bachelor's and a

Hello. So

happy to be here. Oh, hi.

Loretta. Is that half linguist with us right now?

Yes, yes, he very much is more so every day in October.

Congratulations. That that's where we were going with that.

Absolutely. Yep. So number two, we'll be here in just a few months now.

Oh, great. Well, we're so happy to have you.

So before we jump into some, you know, maybe some more personal questions. Can you just tell us a little bit about Tara translations?

Yeah. So I understand translation is largely an invisible sort of industry. Even though we touch virtually every industry on the planet. If

in Argentina. Of course, a love story brought us here to Milwaukee, as it always does. So we have gotten a wonderful second home here, which works

stated, is really to bring that knowledge, equity, that information equity to as many organizations and communities as we possibly can.

Yeah, that's wonderful. So yeah, tell us what language accessibility means for the manufacturing industry.

Absolutely. So the United States is not monolingual and mono cultural, as I mean, we all know that on some level, but it really can feel

have materials, such as training materials, specifically, my focus right now, in our native languages in a way that is meaningful to us, we're

lives on the line and you know, there's a high risk of injury and even death in these jobs. So language accessibility, could mean the difference

Such a great definition. Thank you.

No, really, you know, of course, we apply it mostly to to the workers, because these are the people who are experiencing these languages

okay, who is my audience? Who could my audience be in the future and making sure that no matter who is experiencing this, they're going to have the

You know, Loretta, I went to, to the manufacturing matters conference a few years ago, and there were was a presenter, manufacturer who had put a

experienced as well?

Yes, I'm so glad you said that. I actually, before I got into professional translation work, I was simply a A Language nerd who was dying

that gap. So I took it upon myself to start translating simple materials, like invitations to parties in the break room, little things like this. And

it's, it really is heartening to see that the language barrier is there. But it's not as bad as it seems always just a little bit of effort goes a

Yeah, it almost seems like just a basic level of kindness, right? That that's what was coming to my mind, as you were speaking, how we could

anybody who's traveled knows there is a big difference. When you're testing out a language, you're maybe not totally comfortable in that

There's a little bit of a stereotype there, you're not alone. I understand.

Loretta, so we build websites. And every once awhile we'll get asked to do you know, multilingual websites. And our the clients that we

Well, I mean, you kind of said it right? In the question too, it really is an investment, there can be a sticker shock associated with it,

okay, let's take a look at what our materials are that our most important is that our health and safety? Is it our you know, are there legal

looking to dip your toes into the water before you really commit. But looking at it in the grand scheme of things, that investment is always

number of lawsuits in many industries. If you are not properly or not at all translating your materials into other languages. I'm talking, you know,

well, you are possibly leaving money on the table if you're not reaching out to these new audiences who might respond to you better in a different

Yeah, very persuasive. I'm ready

to sign up for some translation.

That Loretta Oh Oh, sorry, go ahead.

Well, and I was just gonna say that it's also applies to your customer base, right? So when you extend it to manufacturing and

all of those translated, the very important documentation for safety and health. So who,

yeah, so why is business decision? So let's say let's kind of do a little mind experiment. One of our listeners is, wow, this, this does sound

multilingual as they could be?

Absolutely. You know, we did used to do physical mail, that's how the whole industry was ran. And actually, our founder was the best house in

providers come in all shapes and sizes, but we attire we like to keep it real simple, no mess. So we would form a relationship with you make sure we

electronically. Our Linguistic Team will run through it, we can send you any questions we have along the way. Again, email, phone call teams,

translation. So if you do have an established localization program, and you're more familiar with those, you know, we can work with the higher tech

back to you. But we really pride ourselves on a continued relationship with our partners. So if at any time you have feedback, we are dying to hear we

That's awesome. So and I would imagine that these relationships are ongoing because there's always new material being produced new needs for

Yeah, we do we love our longer our long term partnerships. Of course, if you just need to document here and there I understand. And like

with you the more consistent and accurate we can make sure that everything is I myself started as a linguist and a project manager. So I know from

of our partners, just to make sure that that quality is right where it needs to be, and it stays where it needs to be throughout all of the

Excellent.

That's great. Very educational. Thank you. Yeah, thank you. I know I want to think about when it comes to languages, and I do think you need a

not know. Hmm. Well, I would say this is something from my past that I still fall back on quite a lot. As a point of pride was in high

started, and they just never stopped. Really. Wow. So it took us on quite a journey. And it's, it was a really fun chapter in my life.

So do you have horses today? Are you involved in that? No,

not today, I did actually recently get the chance to go back to my barn in Heartland to take my daughter for the first time, a little while

that's great. That's great. All right, well, we're gonna move into our next segment. And that is I just learned that and Aaron, I thought I

You just Oh, goody. Um, speaking of international travel that we started the show off with, I just learned about so one of my bucket list

want to do the whole thing, but there are at some temples that you Buddhist temples that you visit, and along the way that people are incredibly

but you humans Cool. Cool.

Yeah. What about you, Chris? Would you just learn? Well, I was

getting ready this morning, and I typically listen to music from from my phone and I'm, I just was tired of my playlist. So I searched for what's

So the most downloaded song ever? Yes.

So that oh, and I didn't know that the weekend was from Canada. So I just learned that too, because it had said it in there. So then I just

what other new songs get played. Yeah, so

yeah, that's how I learned about music now because it's not the radio anymore.

Different world. Laurie, how about you?

Alright, I'm gonna I'm gonna take my two for today. So to talk about AI, which is only the only time we get to do the to fart, and a QI

who made the a QI and when did this start and you know, And apparently, the EPA created it in 1999. Because there was really no true way to measure the

really it wasn't till 90 there. Yeah, that's surprised me too. Yeah. Because I mean, the air quality has been problematic far before. Especially

It makes sense to have some, some form of measurement. Yes, for that to gauge and to communicate what's happening. I didn't get as deep

proposal to protect patients from false and misleading AI generated medical advice. And I think that's extremely important. And you've all heard me say

around it. So that's good that there are steps being taken with regards to regulation around AI.

Well, when it comes to medical advice online, like the time has been, well, nine for some, you know, Dr. Google can mislead you, even without AI.

We're gonna die every time I google something I'm about.

Definitely. Recently, I learned. I have dementia, apparently, in early stages. So Oh, my goodness, not a lot of people

search for that stuff.

I just always search for the most rent like why is my arm tingling then? Gonna die.

Have you learned anything interesting recently,

I have well, now most recently, I've learned that Lori and I need to have a very lengthy conversation about AI because I am not in like a

the safety of your employees, for the common courtesy of your clients, and for your own legal safety, please, please hire a professional translator of

completely immersed in the world drove through the cones had to go up on top of the building and boop a little thing. And at the end, I was very

Wow. Well, I did have listeners, I want to clarify because I never wanted to take things for granted. vr Virtual Reality. We're all hearing

to really believe in your experience. And that's really fascinating. And something to keep in mind. Right? Like you don't want if somebody has a

Yeah, great point.

Cheaper to find out in VR too before you do any.

Well, Loretta, if anybody wants to get in touch with you after listening to this episode, how could they do that?

LinkedIn would be great. I am pretty confident I'm the only Loretta mulberry on LinkedIn. But if there are more than one of us, I am

Yeah, well,

well include all that information in our show notes. Thank you so much for taking the time you all's it's been great. All right. This is